‘Schemer’ Todd Wins Survivor: China

After many seasons where self-professed fans-turned-contestants of the reality series were stopped on their way to winning, Survivor: China found its million-dollar champion in flight attendant and Survivor super fan Todd Herzog, 22, from Pleasant Grove, Utah.

“I would tell fans to never give up,” he said of his 4-2-1 victories over New York waitress Courtney Yates and Los Angeles fashion designer Amanda Kimmel. “I auditioned three times and the third time was the charm.”

When asked by press following the finale what he would do with his million dollars, Herzog breathlessly said, “I’m going to go to Disneyland, I’m gonna buy a car, I’m gonna get a Merry Christmas for my family, I’m going to invest, maybe go back to school–I’m gonna enjoy that money!”

In a game where he openly presented himself as a fan and schemer, Herzog used his longtime alliance with Kimmel to secure his place in the final three over popular Survivor contestant, lunch lady Denise Martin. –Cynthia Wang